Process for obtaining pure copper.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE.

LUOIEN JUMAU;'OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PROCESS FOR OBTAINING PURE COPPER.

, Application filed January 19, 1907, Serial No. 358,064. Renewed April 13, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIEN J UMAU, citizen of France, residing at Paris, in the said Republic, have invented newand useful Im-' 'rovements in Processes for Obtaining Pure opper, (for which a French patent of addition has been filed which thefollowing My invention re ates to amimproved process for obtaining pure metallic copper from a Solution-of a salt of copper, and it consists in the steps and processes herein described andclaimed.

October 27, 1906,) of is a specification.

wetmethod of extracting copper from its ores, the ore, with or without previous roasting, is leached with a suitable solution for dissolving the copper, being usually extracted in the form of a sulthe copper fateg In an a plication'for Letters Patent, ed by me July 19, 1906, I

arr-improved process for renemical, where the ores under treatment do {not containa suflicient amount of sulfur to provide the required proportion of a suitable sulfite, such asisulfite of hydrogen.

M' invention provides an improved process or obtaining 1pure metallic copper, and which'is especial y advantageous in thoseclasses of co per ores in which theiirsuificienc' of sul ur in the ores renders-the use of asul te uneconomical. 1 In the operation of my invention, a solutionof copper obtained by leaching ores in the usual manner is treated with carbon monoxid, or with a substance capable of evolving or supplying carbon monoxid. Where the carbon monoxid is employed, its

slight solubility in water renders it advantageous to introduce it into the solution in the form of a gas. The copper is precipitated in a pure metallic form, and t 1e final operation, omitting certain intermediate re actions, may be stated as follows:

ouso, 00 H,() =Ou nso, 00,.

This action is facilitated by subjecting the solution to heat andpressure during its treatrnent with the carbon monoxid. The proc-" ess can be conveniently and satisfactorily carried outin a closed di ester in which the solution .is sub ected to eat and pressure.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

"plied in combination with certain Patented June 8, 1909.

Serial No. 489,722.

The interior of said digester is preferably maintained in communication with the interior of a closed receptacle containing some absorbent of carbon. dioXid, such as lime.

If desired, the carbon monoxid may be apcopper salts which are readily decom osed by heat, such as cuprous chlorid; S1101 combination may be represented as follows:

With a neutral or acid solution of copper sulfate,

game matter heated under pressure in said solution; thus providing a commercially successful method of carrying out my invention. I prefer to emply sawdust or shavings asthe organic matter, but many other forms may be employed, such as glucose, de'Xtrin, cellulose, organic acids, etc.

v carbon monoxid will be contained in the products of decomposition of suitable or- From the above description, it will be seen that my invention provides an inexpensive and commercially successful process for pre' cipitating copper in a pure metallic form from solutions containing its salts.

I'have illustrated 'a preferred and satisfactory process, but, obviously, changes could be made within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described rocess for obtain ing pure copper from a so ution of a salt of copper, whic consists in subjecting said solution to the action of carbon monoxid, and simultaneously subjecting said solution to heat and ressui'e.

2. The erein described )rocess for obtaining pure cop er'from a so ution of a salt of copper, whic consists in treating tion with a substance capable 0 carbon monoxid under the action of heat and pressure, and simultaneoulsy subjecting said solution to the action of heat and pressure.

3. The herein described rocessfor obtaining pure cop er from aso ution of a salt of copper, whic consists in subjecting said solution to the action of carbon monoxid in a closed rece tacle, and heating said solution durin suc treatment.

, -'4. The herein described recess for obtaining purecopper from a so ution of a salt of 1'10 copper, whic consistssn subjecting said sosaid solufurnlshing ving such treatment, and maintaining :1- suitlution to the action of carbon monoxid in e 1 mune to this specification in the presence of closed receptacle, heating said solution durtwo sumcribing witnesses.

T K abie absorbent of carbon dioxid in eemmuni- [Laugh cation with the interior of the closed recep- Lacie.

In testimony whereof I have signed my Witnesses:

J ULES FAYOLLET, EUGENE PICHON. 

